The Twisted Pony
by Jaded Nerevarine
Summary: Imprisoned in the tunnels beneath Canterlot, she withers away in hunger and despair. In the castle above, curiosity leads him to a door that he is forbidden to open. Mislead by a child's trusting innocence, Spike unknowingly stumbles into the clutches of Equestria's greatest foe. And once you embrace the darkness, the darkness never lets you go...
1. Walk into my parlour

Finally got this one written. This particular idea cropped up when I first saw the season 2 finale, but I could never quite figure how it should go. Hopefully this way works.

(Small side note: Both to explain Spike's different personality and Chrysalis' predicament, this story take place in an alternate universe several years before the pilot episode, where Chrysalis had previously attacked Canterlot and been defeated, then imprisoned by Celestia)

.

_You look so weak and fragile_

_You seem to drip and sway_

_But you swept me up_

_into your arms,_

_and carried me away_

_Judas Priest- Living Bad Dreams  
_

_._

Chapter 1- Walk into my parlour

* * *

.

It was a bleak and lonely life.

No, she would not even consider it living. It was merely existing, like the rocks and stone that surrounded her. Cold, empty.

She felt a slight pulse from above, and her head lifted, trying to stare through the cavern ceiling to the city beyond. She could feel an upwelling of positive emotion. Something special must have been happening in Canterlot that day. A wedding? A birth?

She neither knew nor cared. She drank it in greedily, savoring every tiny bit of residual emotion she could draw from the ponies above.

Like always, it was enough to sate her hunger, to hold off starvation. But not enough to satisfy. Not enough to fill.

It was never enough…

* * *

.

Spike was standing on a precipice, at a cross-roads, a point of no return. All metaphorical, of course. In reality, he was standing in a hallway. A door was in front of him, and a key was in his hand. He knew from observation and experience that one unlocked the other.

But it was more than simply a door. It was _the _door. Whatever was inside, it was the only place left unexplored. The one room in the castle he had never been. Where NOPONY had ever been. For as long as he could remember, the door had always been locked. Only his mother and Cadence had been inside, and they were the only ones who had the keys.

Until now.

Spike looked back and forth from the key to the door. He had always wanted to know what was inside, had grown more and more curious with the passing of time. Now, he could finally see for himself.

Standing on his tiptoes, he stretched his arms upward and managed to fit the key into the lock. He smiled giddily as he imagined all the wonderful things that could be waiting. Piles of gems and gold, or mountains of books, maybe even magical artifacts! Unable to curb his excitement, he turned the key.

The sound of the lock clicking was unexpectedly loud in the empty hallway, and Spike immediately froze, half-expecting his mother to appear and furiously demand to know what he was doing.

As he waited, fearfully listening for any approaching hoofsteps, Spike realized what a big risk he was taking. If somepony caught him doing this, he was going to be in a lot of trouble. He wasn't supposed to be here in the first place. In fact, his mother had strictly forbidden him from ever setting foot in this hallway. If she found out that he was trying to get the door open…

After a few more minutes passed, he had to remind himself that he needed to hurry. It might not be long before Cadence realized she had dropped the key on her way out. Using both claws, Spike pulled as hard as he could, and the door opened with a screech of rusted hinges.

Slipping inside, Spike pulled the door shut behind him. At least this way, nopony would be able to tell he was inside. He felt bad about sneaking around like this. He didn't like disobeying his mother but he knew that this might be his only chance, and if he didn't take it, he would spend the rest of his life wondering and wishing.

"Besides," he whispered. "I'll just take a little peek and then leave. It won't hurt anything."

Secure in this logic, Spike turned around excitedly, only to stop and stare in confusion.

It was another short hallway, with another door at the end. Walking up to the door, he took hold and pulled.

Locked.

That was just his luck. All that work and worry and he was still locked out! Muttering to himself, he gave the door a hard kick. A bit too hard, as he quickly grabbed his foot in pain. It was only after the throbbing had ceased that he noticed the key he had dropped, and an idea emerged.

Spike didn't know if the key would work on this door as well. Didn't every lock have to have a different key? Still, it was his only option. Reaching up, he managed to get the key in. To his relief, the key turned and the door unlocked.

Once again, he passed through and found himself in a hallway. But this one was different. In fact, it wasn't a hallway at all, but a tunnel! The floor beneath was wet and rough, and the walls dripped with moisture. From the doorway, the passage continued on for several feet before turning off to the right, sloping down in a gentle grade. Spike followed it, his sense of wonder overriding any caution. He knew that this cavern had to be inside the mountain, and that it had to have been dug by somepony. Maybe this tunnel would lead to some ancient temple or shrine, like in the Daring Do books Twilight read to him. Anxious to see where the tunnel led, he hurried on.

The tunnel was dark, even for his dragon eyes. For a minute he worried about becoming lost in the dark, but then he noticed light ahead. At first it was a mild, periwinkle glow, but as he pressed on it became brighter, stronger, until the entire passage was bathed in a flickering blue light.

The tunnel straightened out after a blind corner, and Spike nearly walked into a glowing blue wall. It filled the passageway, blending seamlessly with the uneven stone. Intrigued, he stepped closer.

There was something familiar about it, but he couldn't quite put his claw on what. Now that he was so close, he could hear it making a faint humming sound, and it looked like the wall pulsed and shimmered every few seconds.

It took him a minute to realize that he had seen this before. Yes. The color, the sounds and the glow, the same things happened whenever his mother cast a spell. Maybe it meant this was her magic.

After further inspection, he found that he could actually see through. He was even more surprised to find that the tunnel did not end at the blue wall. Instead, it opened up into a much larger cavern. Spike could see huge crystal formations, giant columns of rock, and a massive open space that looked big enough for the entire castle to fit inside.

He wondered if he could he get past it. Carefully, he reached out and gave the barrier a light poke. His claw passed through effortlessly. Encouraged by this success, he reached further. Still no resistance. He wondered why the force-field was even there; it wasn't doing a very good job of keeping him out.

It never occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, the barrier was not supposed to keep him out, but rather to keep something else IN.

He took a step, then another, and then he was through. Almost immediately, his stomach gave a frightful lurch, and his entire body began trembling. He tried to go further, but after less than a dozen paces he felt as though his legs would give out. Now that he was out of the tunnel, the sheer size of this place was overwhelming. He felt as though he were perched on the edge of a vast and infinitely deep pit, and that if he allowed it to draw him in, the cavern would swallow him up entirely. Caught in this momentary panic, he turned quickly and stumbled back towards the tunnel.

He was halfway there when his gait slowed to a halt. Fear dwindling, he sucked in several large breaths of air until his dizziness faded.

If the sight of the cavern had terrified him, his mother's force-field had done exactly the opposite. Maybe it was his thoughts of the pony who created it, maybe it was the cheerful, warm glow that stood in contrast to the dead gloom around it, but its presence alone was enough ease his mind. As long as it was here, he would be alright. Just like his mother kept him safe, this would keep him from getting lost.

He turned around, and this time, the cave had lost its foreboding presence. As confident as if Celestia were by his side, Spike moved further into the cave, eager to explore, and certain he could find his way home.

* * *

.

At first she thought she'd imagined it, the first sign that these long years of imprisonment had finally driven her mad.

Then she heard the noise again.

She waited, not quite willing to believe. Eyes wide, ears straining, she peered into the darkness and listened. Seconds passed uneventfully, but there was nothing except the deep, basso-profundo moan of air through the cavern. She sighed. It must have been some latent echo from her own hoofsteps. Just some…

A series of brief, staccato taps rang out. Definitely real, and definitely NOT of her making. Acting on pure reflex, she galloped towards the presumed source. She leapt over chasms, ducked through crawlspaces, frantically seeking whatever, or whoever had stumbled into her prison.

She was getting close. She could hear the fatigue in its breathing, could smell its sweat. And most important of all, she could catch the faintest taste of emotions growing stronger with every step. Curiosity, excitement, and the smallest twinges of fear.

Her pace slackened. She crept slowly now, through a patch of shadows before carefully peering around the last corner. Her eyes widened, mouth watering at the sight: a young dragon, wandering around without a care in the world. As she watched, he lifted a chunk of crystal from the ground, examined it briefly, and popped it into his mouth. The warm, sweet taste of satisfaction joined his other emotions, and she found herself slinking closer.

The rich glow of his life-force called out to her. It was hypnotizing, intoxicating.

She had to have him.

* * *

.

Spike was having the time of his life. This place was amazing. There were so many nooks and crannies to explore, not to mention the columns and stalagmites perfect for climbing. Best of all, there were crystals everywhere. And they tasted great!

From his perch atop an abandoned mine cart, Spike popped another chunk of crystal into his mouth and sighed happily. After everything he'd seen, it was impossible to understand why this place was forbidden. It was easily the coolest place he had ever been. He felt as if he could stay down here forever, the king of his cavern. It was like its own little world, just for him.

What he didn't realize was that he was not as alone as he thought.

It started with a sudden chill at the base of his neck. His sense of lazy contentment drained away, replaced by a sense of foreboding and an ephemeral weight on his shoulders.

Something was watching him.

Gripping the wooden lip of the cart, he slowly turned and looked over his shoulder. Nothing but stone and shadows.

*clink*

His eyes snapped down at the sudden sound, and he noticed a tiny pebble bouncing away from where it had struck the cart's wheel. But rocks didn't move by themselves. It looked like it had come rolling out of the shadows to his left. Almost like…

…like somepony had kicked it…

Spike's mouth had gone completely dry. Trying to move as slowly as possible, he climbed down from the cart, his eyes sweeping nervously through the darkness.

"Hello," he called nervously. "Is anypony there?"

The cavern swallowed up his words, and the following silence felt ominous and foreboding. Now, every shadow seemed filled with unseen danger.

He noticed them out of the corner of his eye, a tiny smidge of color in the black. Looking closer, he could see they were two bright pinpoints of green light. Despite his fear, Spike found that he couldn't help but stare into them. They were brilliant and beautiful, like emeralds in sunlight, and it almost felt as if he recognized them somehow. The longer he looked, the more he felt a strange relaxation come over him, like he was being wrapped in a warm, tight blanket.

Then the lights disappeared, and he snapped out of the trance. He blinked, and then looked around in confusion. What had happened? Where had they gone?

Then he saw that they had moved. Now they were off to his left… and several feet closer.

They disappeared again.

His fear returned, but magnified tenfold. He looked back the way he had come, and saw the blue glow of the force-field.

It looked small, and very, very far away.

Before he could take a step towards it, he noticed that one of the shadows looked like it was quivering. Like it was approaching him. His breath caught in his throat. It wasn't the shadow moving… but something hidden INSIDE it.

Then, less than a foot to his right, there was a flash of green. The lights appeared with the sudden intensity of a lightning bolt. Spike drew in a harsh, painful breath, and then ran. In his panic, he hadn't even noticed which direction he took. His one and only thought was that he had to get away.

Sounds seemed to come from every direction, the echoes of his feet and his gasping breaths building and blending until he half-believed that an entire crowd of monsters was snapping at his heels. As he continued running, his fear grew into panic. No matter where he looked, he could no longer see the force-field.

He was panting heavily. His legs were on fire, and he knew that he couldn't run much further.

And that feeling of being watched was only getting worse.

He didn't want to turn back, but some compulsion made him risk a glance over his shoulder, certain that he would be staring directly into a wide mouth full of teeth. But before he could turn his head, he tripped over a raised lip of stone.

He hit the ground and rolled to a stop. He lay there for what felt like hours, too scared to even move. He squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that this would all go away, that he would wake up safe and sound, his mother by his side and sunlight pouring through the windows.

But the ground beneath remained cold and hard, and he finally looked up.

Those green lights loomed over him, glowing like two verdant moons in a starless sky. Gazing into them, he could once again feel a hypnotic sense of calmness settling over his body even as his mind raced in terror. He wanted to run, but his limbs felt numbed. He could only lay still and watch.

The lights vanished for the briefest of moments and reappeared, shifting ever so slightly. Spike's insides turned to jelly as he finally realized what those lights were, and what they reminded him of.

A couple years back, his mother had taken him to the Canterlot Zoo. One of the animals living there was a timberwolf, a predatory beast from someplace called the Everfree Forest. Spike had been terrified, clutching his mother's foreleg and trying to hide as it stared at him from the other side of the cage. Its eyes had locked with his own, and he had been unable to tear his gaze away.

These lights, no, these eyes looked exactly the same. They seemed to pin him to the spot, unblinkingly following his every move. Just like with the timberwolf, he knew what the owner of these eyes was thinking:

_I'm going to eat you._

But now he was alone, and there were no bars between him and whatever stood in the darkness. The eyes leaned in closer, and Spike knew that this was the end. Screaming aloud, he rolled onto his back, one claw in front of his face in a useless effort to ward it off whenever it charged.

But instead of a bloodthirsty roar, laughter rang out from the shadows. Bewilderment replaced fear after hearing such an unexpectedly non-threatening sound, and Spike found himself warily cracking an eye open.

The eyes were still there, but their glow seemed less threatening somehow. In fact, they almost looked… happy?

They tilted to the side, as if their owner was cocking its head. "What's the matter," a light and decidedly female voice asked. "Why are you afraid? You were so happy before."

Spike lowered his claw. Now he was really confused. It talked? Monsters didn't talk… did they? The tiniest bit of hope blossomed in his chest. If this creature could talk, then maybe that meant it could think, too! And if it could think, maybe he could convince it NOT to eat him!

"My, what a rude little boy you are," the voice's chiding tone broke through his thoughts. "First you run away when I'm trying to say hello, and then you ignore me when I ask you a question?"

"Oh! I, uh, I'm sorry, um, miss," Spike apologized quickly. He still didn't know what this creature wanted, or even what it was, but he certainly didn't want to anger it. "What… what was the question again?"

Another chuckle from the darkness. Despite his nervousness, Spike couldn't deny that the creature had a very nice voice.

"I asked," it repeated, "why you were so afraid?"

Spike flinched, half in embarrassment and half in dread of how the creature would react to his reason. "I… I didn't think anypony was down here," he explained. "And then I saw your eyes and they scared me. I… thought you might be a monster."

"A monster, hmm?" The voice was softer now, and he could imagine it grinning as it spoke. "And is that still what you think?"

"Um, I don't really know yet," he said, praying that this was the right answer. "Could, could you please come out so I can see you better?"

There was a soft hissing sound, like somepony breathing in through their teeth. "Well, how can I refuse such a sweet request?"

A long, ebony foreleg slid out of the darkness, and Spike let out a sigh of relief. The limb might have been oddly thin, and there may have been some… holes… above the hoof, but it definitely looked like it belonged to a pony. And with a coat that dark, it made sense that only her eyes would be visible in the shadows.

Another leg appeared, touching down on the stone with a dainty click. As the pony's features came into view, Spike found himself in awe. She was very, very tall. Much bigger than Twilight, or even Cadence. In fact, she might even be as tall as his mother… and she was huge!

As the creature came into view, Spike took a step back, his mouth hanging open. He knew it was impolite, but he couldn't keep from staring.

The pony's thin, delicate face was framed by a dark aquamarine mane. Her eyes glittered in amusement, a reserved smile on her lips. A horn protruded from her forehead, though it curved and twisted back and forth. She was wearing some kind of bright green cloth that covered her back and seemed to be strapped or belted across her stomach. And most amazing of all, fluttering ever so slightly, was the strangest pair of wings he had ever laid eyes on.

Spike was amazed. She was an alicorn. At least, he thought so. With her coat dirty and her mane looking as though it hadn't been washed in ages, she seemed untamed and out of place, like some wildflower that had taken root in his mother's garden. There was also something about the way she stood and walked, her head up high, chin slightly lifted, she carried herself in the same regal way as his mother.

He wondered just who she was, and what she was doing in a place like this.

"So? What have you decided?" She smiled, and he could see that her teeth were sharp and pointed.

"Am I a monster?"

Spike didn't know what to say; he still wasn't sure WHAT she was. She definitely didn't look like any other pony he'd met… but different didn't mean bad, did it? Twilight was always telling him that you can't judge books by their covers, so maybe you couldn't judge ponies by their looks?

"No way, you're too nice to be a monster! You're more like a… well…"

His eyes flicked back to her horn.

"You're like a twisted pony," he exclaimed, proud of himself for coming up with the name.

"And you're certainly not afraid of twisted ponies, are you?"

He shook his head, feeling ashamed of the way he ran off before.

"I'm glad," she said as her grin stretched wider. "Fear has such an unpleasant taste…"

He wanted to ask what she meant, but she was already stepping closer. She leaned over him and inhaled deeply, like she was sniffing a bouquet of flowers.

"What is your name, little dragon?"

He couldn't help but feel nervous at how close she was. "I, I'm Spike," he managed to say.

"Spi~iiiiike," she repeated. He saw a flash of pink as her tongue darted out to lick the top of her lips. "What a lovely name…"

He took a step backwards, not liking the way she had begun to act. "Why are you looking at me like that," he asked.

"Oh, you'll have to excuse me," she said, not sounding the least bit sorry. "I'm just savoring the moment. You see, you're the first living creature I've seen in a very long time."

"You mean you're all by yourself down here," Spike asked in amazement. "No friends, or family, or neighbors or anything?!"

The twisted pony froze, and her smile drooped into a frown. "Yes," she said, obviously not liking his question.

"But doesn't that get lonely?"

It was like a warm summer's day flash-freezing into the dead of winter. Her gaze darkened, and a bitter scowl set over her face.

"Oh course it does," she hissed, causing him to flinch. "It's lonelier than a fool like yourself could possibly imagine! Wasting away in this dark, frigid cavern, nobody knowing or caring whether I lived or died, going mad from the silence and the emptiness and the despair!"

"But… t... then why don't… why don't you just leave?"

That had obviously been the wrong thing to ask. Her eyes seemed to blaze, and her teeth were clenched so hard he imagined her jaw aching.

"You little idiot! Don't you think I would if I could?! Don't you think I want to feel the wind in my mane, or the sun on my face?" Her voice was trembling now, and he could see tears beading in her eyes.

She sank to the ground and turned her head away, eyes squeezed shut. "Even this is something I'd dreamed of, just speaking to someone else, ANYONE else, instead of listening to the echoes of my own voice. But what good is it? Once you're gone, I'll be right back where I started! Forsaken, forgotten, alone!"

Spike felt terrible. As angry as the twisted pony had been, he could tell that she was upset because of all the insensitive things he had asked. She'd been so happy before, and then he'd gone and ruined everything.

Not knowing what else to do, he tried to help in the only way he knew how.

* * *

.

Chrysalis was furious at herself. Imagine: the queen of the changelings reduced to tears because of one infantile question! But no matter how hard she tried she could not get his words out of her head, and she wondered if she'd even be able to enjoy this meal, knowing that another might never arrive.

But then something warm pressed against her chest, and two short arms tried to wrap around her neck. Her eyes shot open, and she looked down to see Spike hugging her for all he was worth. He looked up into her shocked face and smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry I said those things," he whispered, burying his face in her coat. "Please don't be sad anymore…"

She gasped as his life-force began to flow into her. Something like a jolt of electricity ran through her chest and spread through her body like wildfire. Her head spun from the rush of energy as nerves and muscles tingled from the unfamiliar sustenance.

And the taste, oh the taste! The flavors of concern and friendly affection were delicious beyond compare. Every other thought and desire was swept aside.

She needed more.

Reaching out with one trembling foreleg, she looped it gently around Spike's body. The added contact served to draw even more of his energy into her, and she shuddered in ecstasy. A small burst of relief mingled with the other emotions; he must have been glad to have the hug returned.

The presence of a third emotion was too much. Chrysalis was becoming ravenous, desperate. Twining another leg around him, she pulled Spike firmly against her and rested her head atop his own. Then she began to eat, no longer allowing his life-force to come to her, but drawing it away forcefully. The rush of energy doubled, then tripled, and she moaned aloud as her long hunger ended.

Spike's arms fell away from her neck, and he tottered unsteadily on his legs. She held him upright and continued her feeding, paying no mind to his increasingly shallow breaths or the overpowering bitterness of his fear.

"Please…" she heard him whimper. "It… hurts…"

She ignored his pleas, drinking long and deep even as his struggles weakened. She had waited too long, starved for too long. She deserved this.

Then his body gave a sudden, violent lurch. The rich mixture of emotions vanished immediately, coalescing into a dull blandness as the baby dragon sagged lifelessly. She pulled her head back and looked him over. She felt… disappointed. She had known, even expected his emotions to cease when he lost consciousness, but damn it, she had hoped he would last longer than this. It must have been because of his age, he had yet to develop the same endurance as a full-grown stallion.

And now, his limit had been reached. Those wonderful emotions were gone, leaving his life-force raw and flat.

She groaned in displeasure at the prospect of choking down that vile tastelessness. After what she had just tasted, the very thought was enough to make her stomach churn. But it had to be done; she was still weak, still hungry, and she couldn't afford to be picky.

She was just leaning down to finish him off when she felt him weakly stirring against her chest. She paused in surprise. That had never happened before. Normally, the victim of such an aggressive and prolonged feeding would have been rendered irreversibly comatose. Perhaps dragons were simply more resilient?

An idea suddenly formed in her head. This could work perfectly. If her meal had not permanently damaged him, then he would likely make a full recovery. Then she would be able to feed off of him again, and again, until maybe one day she was strong enough to break free. To take her revenge...

But how could she keep him? Chrysalis gave him another glance. He certainly wasn't strong enough to overpower her, but keeping him captive was not a viable option. The inevitable negative emotions would make for terrible dining. And that was if he'd even be capable of surviving in her prison.

But if she didn't keep him there… that only left her one option.

It was hazardous. It was risky. It was cruel and selfish in the extreme. But her entire future might lay with this baby dragon. She had to try.

Lying back over the hard stone, Chrysalis gently placed Spike against her side and settled down to plan her strategy. There would be no room for mistakes. An excellent actress she might be, but she hadn't manipulated another creature in a long time. She could only hope her skill hadn't gone rusty.

* * *

.

The first thing Spike was aware of was the soreness of his body. Every muscle ached, every scale felt raw and tender as if they had just been shed, and his head throbbed with the type of migraine usually reserved for veteran drunkards or kindergarten teachers.

There was something warm against his back; he could hear the soft sounds of breathing. He sighed happily and tried to nuzzle deeper into the coat, smiling as a hoof reached up to stroke his cheek.

Then he realized that something felt wrong. His mother's coat didn't feel like it normally did. No, it felt rough and coarse, like it hadn't been cleaned in years. He opened his eyes, but it wasn't ivory fur that filled his vision.

It was pitch black.

Spike yelled in alarm and tried to push himself away, only for pain to explode in his skull. Through the pounding headache, he realized that something was holding him, and he kicked and scratched blindly.

"Shh… calm down, Spike," a voice whispered soothingly into his ear. "Everything's alright. You're safe. It's me, the twisted pony, remember?"

He did remember. He blinked several times, his vision blurring in and out before finally snapping back into focus. He was about to look up when he remembered how angry his words had made her. What if she was still upset?

"Spike? Look at me, please?"

He finally met her gaze, and any worries vanished. Her eyes held nothing but concern, and she gave him a warm, almost motherly smile.

"I'm glad to see you're alright," she said. "You gave me quite a scare when you passed out."

"I… did?" Now he was confused. The last thing he remembered was her returning his hug, but then his chest kept getting tighter and tighter until he couldn't breathe, and then-

"I'm afraid so. I'm guessing you nearly exhausted yourself before I found you, and then ran yourself ragged when you thought I was some kind of monster," she said guiltily.

His spirits fell. First he had insulted her by running away, then he had upset her by asking stupid questions, and now he'd forced her to worry and take care of him while he slept! He felt like the worst person in the world.

"I'm sorry." It was the only thing he could think to say, but when the twisted pony looked down at him in confusion, he decided to press on.

"For everything. For being so mean, and making you sad, and for hurting you," he mumbled, pointing at the shallow cuts in her legs.

"Don't worry," she said. "They'll go away after awhile. But what about you? How are YOU feeling?"

Spike failed to notice how raptly she was staring at him, or the way her tone had shifted from concern into curiosity. "I'm okay, I guess. I feel all achy, but not real bad."

"Perfect," she whispered to herself.

He wondered what she meant by that, but before he could ask, Spike found himself magically lifted into the air and set onto the twisted pony's back. He squeaked in alarm and threw both arms around her neck, trying not to kick her wings as he fought for balance.

"What are you doing," he asked.

The twisted pony threw a grin over her shoulder. "You were out for quite awhile, silly. You probably need to be getting out of here and back home."

He gasped and instinctively looked up to try and see the position of his mother's sun. What time was it? How long had he been asleep? Oh no, his mother was going to kill him!

Seeing his look of fear, the twisted pony laughed and shook her head. "Let me guess, you're just realizing that you've probably stayed here a bit too long, and somepony up there," she nudged her head towards the ceiling, "will be none too happy with you?"

"Yes!" His heart was racing. "I'm not even supposed to be down here!"

"Well, we can't have you getting in trouble," she said. "So how about I take you back to the entrance?"

Spike couldn't believe his luck. "Really? You know the way, and you'll take me?"

"Of course! That's what friends are for," she said, just a bit too sweetly. "And we are friends… aren't we?"

He nodded quickly. "Yea, you bet!"

"Then let's get going." Turning on her hoof, she broke into a light canter down the tunnel. As she carried him through a number of seemingly random passageways, Spike was glad that she knew where they were going. He felt very lucky to have met her.

They talked the entire way. The twisted pony asked him all sorts of questions. What season was it outside? Had the sun been shining, or were there lots of clouds? Was there some kind of party going on earlier in the day? Spike was happy to answer, and when she ran out of questions, he began telling her about himself. She was delighted to listen, and no matter what he spoke about, the places he liked to visit, the gems he ate for breakfast, even the schoolwork he had done, she gave her full attention.

Strangely, she froze in her tracks when he mentioned that his mother was the princess. The tense silence had only lasted a second before she cheerfully teased him about being royalty and continued on, but Spike still felt like he had missed something important.

Before he had time to dwell on the matter, he caught a glimpse of blue light, and his spirits lifted as the magical force-field came into view. He could barely keep from leaping to the ground and running the last few feet. Instead, he waited anxiously until the twisted pony came to a stop, then slid off her back and happily wrapped his arms around her leg.

"Thank you! For everything! I mean, for bringing me here, and taking care of me, and being so nice, and-"

"Anything for a friend," she crooned, running a hoof over his back. He heard her draw in a long, shaky breath. "I'm guessing you want to get back to your mother, right?"

"Yeah, I need to get out of here before she catches me," he agreed. His eyes lit up, and he began pulling at her leg. "You should come too! I'll bet she'd love to meet you."

He missed the bitter scowl that passed over her face. "Oh, how I wish I could. But you see, Spike, this magic keeps me from leaving. I can't go with you."

His face fell, and he remembered how mad she had been when he asked why she didn't leave before. "You mean, you're stuck here? Forever?"

"Yes," she said, and the despair in her voice was genuine. "So this is where we'll have to say goodbye. It… it was nice meeting you. You're the first friend I've ever had."

She turned half-away and hid her face in her mane. He could see a few tears fall to the ground.

"Just… don't forget me, okay?"

Spike could only stand there and gape. He almost couldn't believe it. She had to be down here, alone, all the time? Nopony to talk to her, or give her hugs, or wish her a happy birthday? His eyes flicked to the scabbed cuts on her legs. Nopony to kiss her better when she got hurt, or take her temperature when she was sick?

It just wasn't fair! Everypony needed friends, especially a nice, caring mare like the twisted pony. He didn't understand why she was down here, or what his mother's magic had to do with it. All he knew was that she needed him, and in the spur of the moment, he made a decision that would one day change the world.

He stepped forwards and carefully turned her face towards him. "Don't worry, I won't forget you, 'cause I won't be able to! I'll come back and see you every day, and we'll have lots of fun, and I'll tell you everything you want to know!"

She beamed at him. "Really? Oh, Spike, do you mean it? You won't let me be lonely anymore?"

He shook his head proudly, and she threw both forelegs around him and shot into the air. They swooped through the cavern, making loops and rolls as the twisted pony cheered. Spike laughed as well, trying to ignore the sudden return of the painful tightening in his chest. It was probably just from the rush of flying…

Finally, they settled back to the ground, and the twisted pony released him.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You don't know how much this means to me."

He grinned and repeated her earlier words. "Anything for a friend."

She nudged him towards the force-field. "You'd better get going." Her smile gained a measure of uncertainty. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course," he said, giving her one last hug before scampering towards the exit.

* * *

.

It was the hardest thing she had ever done, letting him go. Every instinct, every fiber of her being told her to catch him, to pull him back before he escaped her forever. She held off, knowing that it would take a gentle, subtle touch for this plan to succeed.

He turned back once as the tunnel curved out of sight. He waved back at her, and she returned the gesture, not caring that her friendly mask had slipped into an almost predatory leer. For the first time in so many years, she allowed herself to feel hope. Fortune was smiling on her, and it had delivered a wonderful gift.

The key to her survival, to her freedom, to her revenge, all in the trusting innocence of her enemy's own son.

She grinned into the darkness. "Oh, Celestia, you should really keep a closer eye on your children."

"Spike… you're mine," she promised.


	2. Sins of the Mother

Alright then, here's chapter two. Took me a bit longer than expected to get it hammered out.

.

.

_She was meant to be wild, he was merely a child_

_But they only could feel each other._

_They were paper and fire, angel and liar_

_The devil of one another._

_Dio- Rock and Roll Children_

_._

Chapter 2- Sins of the Mother

* * *

_._

As soon as the twisted pony was out of sight, Spike dropped to all fours and peltered rapidly up the tunnel. As much as he would have liked to stay, he was too preoccupied by the nervousness that was beginning to encroach on his every thought. It wasn't like the terror he had felt in the cave. No, that had been instinctive, almost primal. Fear of the dark and the dangers lurking within it.

This new fear, on the other hand, was much more concrete. It was the anxious, pit of the stomach dread that comes to all little boys when they know that they are in serious trouble.

Coming to the first door, he lifted the key and slid it firmly into the lock. There was a heavy click, and then he planted both claws against the heavy wood and pushed.

The door swung open with a squeak of rusty hinges. Spike half-expected to see an angry, angry alicorn on the other side, but to his relief the hallway was clear.

Letting out a breath, he closed and locked the door behind him before rushing up to the next. This time, however, he paused with the key in claw. What would happen when somepony found him? When they discovered out where he'd been, they'd tell Celestia right away. And then…

_Several heads turned as the doors to the throne room were flung open. Spike walked in dejectedly, flanked by two royal guards. The baby dragon was shuffling his feet, claws wringing nervously like a prisoner on their way to execution._

_At seeing him safe and sound, Celestia let out a gasp of joy and leapt to her hooves. Racing up to them, she pulled Spike into her forelegs and began peppering his face with kisses._

"_Oh, thank goodness," she said. "Where did you find him?"_

_One of the guards lowered his head, eyes downcast. "Forgive us, your majesty… but we found him in __**that**__ hallway."_

_Celestia's smile turned to a look of horror. "No!"_

"_Yes," the guard continued gravely. "He was coming back through the forbidden door, using THIS!"_

_He brandished the key like it was a murder weapon. Celestia put a hoof to her mouth and recoiled, several mares screamed, and one stallion swooned to the floor._

_She lowered him to the ground, refusing to make eye contact. Instead, she turned to the assembled ponies._

"_Leave us," she commanded._

_All too willing to oblige, they scattered from the room. Spike was tempted to follow, but he knew that running would only make things worse._

_Celestia walked slowly back to the throne. Settling herself down, she finally met his gaze. Her eyes were sad and tears shone at the corners, but her jaw was set, and when she spoke her voice was stern and merciless._

"_Spike. Come here."_

_He started forward, and everything came spilling out._

"_I'm sorry," he cried. "I didn't mean to be bad! I just wanted to know what was in there, and, and I saw the key on the floor and wanted to look around for a little bit! I'm sorry, mama! I'm-"_

_She held up a hoof to silence him. "I know Spike, I know. We will speak about this later, but for right now…"_

_She gestured to herself. "Into my lap."_

_His eyes widened; he knew what was coming. Shaking his head once, he took a step back._

_Celestia frowned at him. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be Spike."_

_He knew she was right, but he also knew it was going to hurt, and he just couldn't bring himself to obey her. Taking another step, he turned tail and ran. Or at least, he tried to. But before he could so much as lift a leg, his body was enveloped and lifted by a glowing blue light._

_He thrashed helplessly as she pulled him closer. "No mama! Please, no! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! No!"_

"_You had me worried half to death," she said softly. "You ran off on your own and deliberately disobeyed me by opening that door. Now you have to accept the consequences."_

_She laid him down over her knees, holding him gently, but firmly in place. He heard the clinking of metal against stone, and out of the corner of his eye he could see her removing one of her golden shoes and setting it aside._

"_Tail up," she ordered._

_Still wailing, he did as she asked. Her bare hoof patted his back._

"_This is for your own good," she said, and her foreleg whistled through the air as she swung._

Spike snapped out of the daydream with a yelp, claws reflexively moving to shield his rump. What was he gonna do? He didn't want to get a spanking!

'Wait,' he suddenly thought. 'Maybe… maybe I won't have to! If mama doesn't know I was in here, then she'll only be upset I was gone for so long! She won't spank me just for that!'

Fully confident in his logic, Spike put his ear against the door and listened. It didn't sound like any ponies were out there. Deciding to take the chance, he popped open the lock and slipped out.

The coast was clear! Almost giddy with relief, he carefully closed and locked the door behind him before scampering down the hall. Just another few feet, and nopony would ever know…

"Aha! There you are!"

He froze in his tracks. Well, that was it. He was officially dead. He thought about saying a prayer, but what good would that do when that same goddess was the one who'd be punishing him?

With no better option he snapped his hands behind his back to hide the key, and looking as innocent as he could manage, he turned to Sweet Grass and smiled.

The green stallion did not return the expression. Instead, he scooped Spike up and onto his back before galloping down the hall. As the dragon held on for dear life, he noticed something strange. Sunlight was streaming brightly through each of the windows they passed. But how? He was sure that it would have been night by now…

"So glad I finally found you," Sweet Grass said, interrupting his thoughts. "I've been searching the castle from top to bottom. We have to get you to the princess at once. No time to lose!"

Oh no. She was sending out search parties for him? This was already turning out like his earlier daydream! But wait, maybe Sweet Grass hadn't seem which hallway he'd come from. Maybe he still had a chance.

His eyes darted down to the key in his claw, and he knew that he had to dispose of the evidence. Waiting until they barreled around another corner, Spike leaned far out to the left and tossed the key towards a conveniently placed flowerpot, where it landed discreetly between the pot and the wall.

"Yes," Spike said with a fist pump.

Sweet Grass looked over his shoulder in confusion. "Did you say something, your highness?"

"Nope, nothing at all," Spike said quickly. Luckily, the councilor seemed to have other things on his mind, and continued on without another word.

They came to a stop, not outside the throne room as Spike expected, but at one of the many studies his mother used for private work. Standing rigidly at either side of the door was a unicorn guard.

"Your mother has been inside that room with Miss Sparkle all day," he explained, seeming to anticipate Spike's confusion. "But in focusing on their lesson, she seems to have lost track of the time."

'That's right,' he remembered. 'Twilight just got done with her basic curr… curric… studies. Today was the day mama was gonna start teaching her herself!'

And if she'd been too busy to even set the sun, there was no way she'd have realized how long he'd been gone. That meant she couldn't get angry with him for being late.

It seemed like he had lucked out completely.

"-so irresponsible? I mean, can you imagine? Bright as noon at nine o'clock in January!? What if the entire country sleeps in? Our economy will grind to a halt! You have to speak to her immediately! All of Equestria is depending on you!"

"Oh, um, right," Spike said, realizing that he had completely tuned the frantic stallion out. "You can count on me."

"Excellent," Sweet Grass said. "Now follow my lead." Turning back to the door, he trotted closer.

Both of the guards scowled at Sweet Grass as he approached. Their horns glowed faintly, and Spike suddenly got the feeling that this wasn't their first confrontation.

"For the love of…" one of them groaned. "Can't you get it through your head? The princess gave explicit orders not to allow any interruptions until the lesson is finished! WE AREN'T LETTING YOU THROUGH!"

The councilor smiled triumphantly. "Ah, but it's not me you'll be allowing inside," he declared, grabbing Spike and holding him out like a hall pass.

"You see, this is a family situation. And I'm sure you wouldn't be so insubordinate as to refuse the prince entry, now would you?"

He shook the dragon a bit for emphasis, and Spike tried to assist with the best puppy-dog eyes he could give.

The unicorn glowered, obviously annoyed at being forced to give in. "Of course Spike can enter," he said; his tone softening as he addressed the dragon.

"But if you try sneaking in after him, we're gonna use your sorry flank as a piñata, got it?"

"Yes, yes, whatever you say," Sweet Grass responded, placing Spike on the floor and nudging him forward. The guards bowed and ushered him in, opening the door with a quick burst of magic.

The air in the room felt heavy, charged with electricity and reeking of ozone. Covering his nose, Spike padded inside.

Celestia and Twilight sat face to face at the far end of the room. The unicorn's eyes were tightly closed, her face scrunched up in concentration as her horn pulsed with light. Celestia was watching her closely, offering an occasional bit of advice.

Spike had no idea what they were talking about. He still didn't completely understand how magic worked, but he did know that interrupting a unicorn's concentration could be a very bad thing. He waited for a few minutes, trying to look as conspicuous as possible, but with no success. It looked like he'd have to take more direct action. Hoping not to startle them too much, he coughed loudly into his palm.

Both ponies started at the noise. Celestia's head shot up, her eyes blinking rapidly like she'd been caught dozing. Her eyes turned to the source of the disruption.

"Well now," she said with a grin. "It seems we've gained an audience. However did you sneak past my guards, Spike?"

Unable to think up a witty explanation, he simply shrugged and said, "They let me in?"

The alicorn gave a soft chuckle. "No doubt they were swayed by your charm," she teased. "Now that we've established the how, would you like to tell us why you've come?"

Knowing exactly how to butter her up, Spike drug his heel on the floor and looking away. "I just missed you," he said as his mother's smile widened. "And also cause Sweet Grass was freaking out."

"Again?" She laughed and shook her head. "And what was the disaster du jour this time?"

Spike had no idea what a doo joor was, but he answered anyway. "He says you need to set the sun because it's super late and everypony's gonna be too lazy to get out of bed, or something."

A look of confusion passed over her face. "Late? But… the time…" she looked around the room, seeming to realize that there was no clock present.

"Did he say what time it was," she finally asked.

Spike scratched his head. "Umm… nine, I think?"

Celestia's jaw dropped, and she scrambled to her hooves in a rare display of panic.

"How could I have been so absent-minded? Five additional hours of sunlight? What was I thinking?! Oh, Twilight! I'm sorry to end our lesson so abruptly, but I'll need you to gather your things and head home immediately! I'll wait a few minutes so you'll not have to walk back in the dark."

As Celestia flung open the doors and called for Sweet Grass, the unicorn began quickly shoveling items into her saddlebags. Always eager to help, Spike joined her.

He glanced over one of the scrolls. It was covered from top to bottom with writing. "Wow Twi, you really took a lot of notes today."

"I know, isn't it great? You wouldn't believe it, Spike," Twilight said. "I learned so many things today! Basic transmutation, some alchemical recipes, advanced levitation techniques…"

"Wow, and you still had time to write all this stuff?" He noticed that several of the scrolls looked exactly the same. "And even make two of each?"

"Oh, I didn't write out all of those," she said proudly. "They were created using a duplication spell I just learned!"

"Duplication," he repeated, sounding out the word carefully. "Isn't that like where you're, umm, copying stuff?"

"Exactly! Princess Celestia knows that I always like to keep multiple copies of relevant documents, so she taught me the spell so I wouldn't have to spend more time rewriting them."

That got his full attention. It also gave him the best idea of all time. "So can you make copies out of anything," he asked.

"Yep, anything at all." Twilight's confidence faded a bit as she actually thought over the question. "Well, I mean, maybe not ANYTHING. Cloning another pony would probably be too magically intensive, and recreating too large or complex an object would more than likely result in a backfire…"

Making doubly sure that his mother wasn't listening in, Spike leaned in closer. "But little stuff is okay, right?"

She gave him a wry look. "Now, Spike, this spell was meant for intellectual pursuits. If you're going to ask me duplicate a bunch of gems, the answer is no."

"That's not what I was gonna ask," he protested loudly. A bit too loudly, as the noise caught Celestia's attention.

"What was that about wanting to ask me something," she called from the door.

Thinking quickly, Spike reached out and wrapped both arms around one of Twilight's legs. "Can I walk Twilight home?"

Celestia hesitated. "I don't know Spike. I'm not sure I like the idea of you out in the city after dark."

He couldn't give up. This might be his only chance to get a key of his own. He couldn't just keep using the one Cadence had dropped!

"Please, mama? I haven't gotten to talk to Twilight all day! And I wanna hear about the stuff she learned, and all the spells she can do!"

Twilight's eyes lit up at the thought of further explaining her studies, and faced with the expectant smiles of both children, Celestia's resolve broke.

"Very well," she conceded. "But only if you have one of the guards accompany you."

"But I don't need a foalsitter!"

Celestia smiled and leaned down. She rubbed a soothing hoof over his spines and said, "I know you don't. But it would make me feel better, at least. Will you do it for me?"

His shoulder's slumped, and Twilight giggled from behind him. "Fine," he grumbled, wishing he wasn't such a mama's boy.

Looking almost smug, the alicorn straightened up and called in a guard. As Twilight donned her saddlebags, Spike clambered onto the stallion's back then climbed up to sit atop his helmet. If he had to be chauffeured around, then he was at least going in style!

"Alright, ready to go, my number one assistant?"

Spike gave her a thumbs-up.

Twilight dramatically pointed her foreleg at the door. "Then make it so, Number One!"

"Giddyap," Spike ordered, and the guard raced into the hall with Twilight close behind.

* * *

.

Chrysalis was far too excited to sleep. Her stomach was full, her thoughts hopeful, and she did not want to simply wait restlessly for Spike's next visit. She had to do something.

The answer was obvious. She needed to come up with a plan for dealing with Spike. Her actions earlier had been too hasty, too sloppy. He'd been scared to death at first, and then she'd blown up in his face after a simple question. And worst of all, how far she'd taken that initial feeding…

She couldn't be that rash in the future. This was her one and only chance. Right now, she had his sympathy. But what she needed was his trust.

Therefore, the first step was putting him at ease. Making him as content and comfortable as she could manage.

Her eyes scanned over the cavern, and inspiration struck. Finding a particularly spacious chamber, she measured a forty foot circle with her hooves. Her horn lit up, and she began tossing away the larger rocks while sweeping any smaller debris. Once the space was clear, she dropped prone and began leveling out the circle.

It took several hours, but in the end she was quite pleased with the results. Before her was a clean, flat plain of rock. The stone was smooth and slightly warm to the touch, and there were no stalactites above that might drip water onto its surface. All in all, it was plenty large enough to accommodate a baby dragon.

She tapped a hoof to her chin. It was definitely a start. But it needed more. She wanted Spike to like it down here. If he visited out of desire, and not duty, that would make her task far easier. So what else could she do to make it more inviting?

'Wait,' she thought to herself. 'I know just the thing.'

After scouring the cavern, she found a wide, flat-topped boulder that could make an excellent table. A further search turned up a smaller stone that looked like it could serve as a chair. She hauled them back, congratulating herself all the way. Now Spike could read, or study, or even eat down here if he wanted.

And speaking of eating, didn't they always say that the way to a drake's heart was through his stomach? True or not, it certainly wouldn't hurt. Heading deeper into the cave, she painstakingly examined the many deposits of crystals, breaking off only the clearest, smoothest, and hopefully tastiest ones.

Finally, panting with exhaustion, she stepped back and surveyed her work. It was a humble project, to say the least, but certainly better than before. She tried to think if there was anything else she could do. There was no available water source… but then the pool she used for drinking was close enough that they could manage. The furniture was serviceable… but what about a bed? Surely there would be times when Spike needed to rest, and she didn't want him leaving her early, did she?

She chuckled to herself. She already knew how to approach that possibility. After all, Spike had already used her as a pillow; she would gladly act as bed and blanket if he needed it.

And speaking of sleep, she could use a bit of rest. It had been centuries since she'd last used so much magic, or even had the energy to do so. Settling down on the clean stone, she was asleep before her chin touched her forelegs.

_The city of Canterlot was burning. Winged shapes flitted between towers and dodged through smoke as pegasi and changelings battled for control of the skies. In the streets below, pandemonium ensued. Ponies fled from or into their homes with changelings snapping at their hooves. Earth pony soldiers fought to push the invaders back street by street, with unicorn guards at their backs scanning for any disguised changelings in the masses of panicked citizens._

_Even the castle itself was unsafe. Through the black roils of smoke, flashes of light could be seen from the throne room's windows, accompanied by the shrill howls of magical attacks._

_Inside, the two combatants leapt apart. Hooves set, horns lowered, they charged up and let fly. Two blazing lances of magic, one green and one gold, collided. The shockwave blew every window apart and shook the room, sending chandeliers and furniture crashing to the floor._

_For a moment, the two attacks were deadlocked. But slowly, the golden beam began to push the other back. Its target quivered in fear, her forehead beading with sweat. She tried to resist, but no matter how much power she fed into her magic, it was useless._

_Celestia's yell turned to a roar and the golden magic smashed through the green. In the last few seconds, she snapped her head up and fired one last bolt through the room's ceiling. Then Chrysalis felt a shattering pain in her chest as the beam hurled her across the room and into the wall. She dropped limply to the floor, her vision blurry and ears ringing from the blast._

_She lay there for a time, fading in and out of consciousness. She could hear screams and the sounds of battle through the broken windows. She knew they had lost. Had known from that one, horrible moment when it became clear that Celestia was far stronger than she._

_With her defeated, her changelings would have no defense against the alicorn's wrath. At this point, all she could hope for was that they had seen her signal and retreated in time._

_The sounds of fighting lessened and then faded entirely. The smell of smoke began to clear from the air. She had no idea how long she had been lying there, too weak to even lift her head. Eventually she heard the clatter of hoofsteps near her body, and then voices speaking from above. The only voice she recognized was Celestia's, and her command was appropriately ominous._

"_Take her to a cell. I will be along shortly."_

_Armour clinked, and several white forelegs moved into her field of vision. She felt them under her limbs, against her stomach, across her back. Then they began to lift, and her head spun as she lost consciousness._

"…_she awake?"_

_Somepony was speaking, their voice dim and distant._

"_Chrysalis? Can you hear me?"_

_She groaned lightly. Her entire body felt sore and bruised._

_A soft hum came from her left, and then a light flashed in front of her face, so bright she could see it through her eyelids._

"_She's awake," another voice said. "You see the way her eyes clenched? Yes, she can hear us alright."_

_A hoof reached up to pat her cheek. She tried to lean into the touch, regain any energy that she could, but it was withdrawn quickly._

"_Come on, come on," the voice ordered. "Open your eyes! I'll not have you keeping her majesty waiting!"_

_Something in the tone told her that if she refused, they would find a way to make her. She obeyed, squinting into the bright glow coming from the horn pointed between her eyes._

_The unicorn smiled tightly. "Good! Now we can get to business." He turned to the taller figure in the corner. Celestia stepped closer. Her face was calm, serene even, but there was a hard look in her eyes as she studied the changeling queen._

_Ignoring the pounding in her head, Chrysalis tried to assess her situation. She was in a small room with stone walls. The only exit was a door made of heavy wood with bars over the window. A dungeon cell, obviously. As for her, they had chained her forelegs spread-eagled to the wall, forcing her to stand on two hooves which were similarly outstretched and chained. She tested the shackles. They did not budge; she had two inches, perhaps three with which to lean forwards._

_Seeing that she was well and securely bound, she turned her attention to the occupants of the room. Aside from Celestia and the unicorn that so rudely awakened her, there was an earth pony stallion to her left and right, either for defending the princess or intimidating the prisoner, if she had to guess._

_Celestia spoke first. "You have been unconscious for several hours. No doubt you are curious as to the welfare of your army and the outcome of the invasion you so rashly commanded."_

_Chrysalis said nothing. She knew where this was going. Celestia was going to explain just how hopeless the situation was, preempting any hopes of escape or rescue to try and make her compliant, if not cooperative._

"_Your forces have been routed," she continued. "Pushed completely out of the city. We detected several of your troops that had assumed pony shape and tried to infiltrate the civilian populace. Whatever mission or sabotage they hoped to accomplish is irrelevant, as they were either slain or forced to retreat."_

_No answer. Chrysalis was too busy weighing her options. She needed more energy if she was to escape, but the ambient life-force being emitted by these ponies was too little, too slow. Her eyes trailed to Celestia. The princess would provide the best nourishment, especially if stronger emotions could be provoked._

_But to do that… she would have to get the two of them alone._

"_A fine synopsis of our crushing defeat, but I doubt you went to all the trouble of arranging this little meeting just to inform me of that," she said with a smile._

"_Don't be shy, princess," she coaxed. "Tell me what's on your mind."_

"_What concerns me the most is how quickly and easily your forces retreated," Celestia said brusquely. "As a matter of fact, my generals have told me they began falling back at the very moment our battle concluded. Why? Why abandon their leader at a moment's notice, without the slightest effort to rescue or avenge her?"_

"_Well, I was quite the slave-driver," she admitted. "Ordering them about, forcing them to attack innocent ponies, denying them bathroom breaks. It's no surprise that they'd leave me behind."_

"_Somehow, I don't believe that. Preoccupied as I was, I did notice that burst of magic you fired through the ceiling before my attack connected. Quite an odd move, unless destroying my throne room was not some petty act of revenge, but a signal to your forces."_

_She gave the changeling an appraising look. "Therefore, I suspect that the retreat was all part of your plan, and I want to know what they will do next."_

_Chrysalis seized the opportunity. "Very well," she said with a sigh. "I see that I'm in no position to refuse. However, I do have one condition. If you insist on this rather droll interrogation, would you please dismiss your guards. They're making me a bit uncomfortable. You see, I can't help but feel a tad… exposed in my current state…"_

_She stretched languidly in her chains, giving a slow roll of her hips that caught the attention of the gathered ponies. Each stallion averted his eyes, and she almost chuckled as a guilty frown passed over Celestia's face._

_Mumbling an apology, the princess turned and shooed her guards from the room. As the stallions marched out, Chrysalis pondered her next move. That had been easy enough, but how should she deal with the princess herself? There was no chance of inciting any positive emotions from her adversary, but perhaps she could at least coax out some frustration or embarrassment…_

"_Now that we're alone," Celestia said. "What is your army's next move?"_

_Chrysalis lowered her head as if ashamed. There was no harm in telling the truth, since in a moment's time Celestia wouldn't believe another word she said. "There is no other move. I called for that retreat when I knew that all was lost. You might think me a monster, but I did not wish for my people to be wiped out. Our goal was out of reach, and there was no point in sacrificing more lives."_

"_What was that goal," Celestia asked pointedly. "Why attack my city at all? Your kind thrives on emotions, I know this, but surely such a reckless attack was not your only option?"_

"_Oh, very well," she cried out dramatically. "I can't lie to you. Yes, it was a foolish act, but I couldn't help myself!"_

_Surprised by the outburst, Celestia stepped back. "Wha… what do you mean?"_

_Chrysalis stared at her, eyes tearing up, lips quivering. "It was you, Celestia. You were the reason we attacked! You see, I've always desired you for myself. Your luscious body, that beautiful mane, those supple legs, I could go on for hours! In the end, I just couldn't stand admiring you from afar."_

_Celestia's eyes were bulging, her mouth hanging open in utter shock. Chrysalis was speaking quickly now, almost frantically. "So in a fit of lust and longing, I bade my changelings attack your city, hoping to capture you in the confusion and spirit you back to our hive like Helen in the Ponyliad, where you would be my wife and lover for the rest of our days!"_

_She would have loved to continue this melodramatic charade, but the look of pure bewilderment on Celestia's face was too much. Try as she might, Chrysalis couldn't help but burst out laughing._

_Celestia's jaw clenched, cheeks red with a furious blush. "I would not advise making jests at a time like this," she cautioned. "Especially not in front of the pony who'll ultimately decide your fate!"_

_Chrysalis smiled in response. "And what would you prefer? Should I be cursing and shrieking and spitting in your face, defiant to the end? Or should I be a sniveling wreck, pleading for mercy and bemoaning my fate? It's not as though either option would improve my situation, so why not have a bit of fun at your expense?"_

_Celestia didn't rise to the bait. "Mock me if you wish, but you'll gain nothing with such antics. If you truly value the welfare of your people, you WILL tell me what they are planning. They could not overcome us before, so what chance would they have now? They have lost the element of surprise, they have lost their queen. Any further attack would be doomed to failure."_

"_But if you tell me the truth," she said softly, trying to inject a measure of sympathy into her words. "We may be able to end this without further bloodshed. Convince your people to surrender, and I promise we'll-"_

_What a useless offer. By now, her changelings had probably reached the Equestrian border. Celestia hadn't realized that there was no longer an army to pursue!_

_Still, no point in revealing that now. If Celestia learned that her prisoner had no information to provide, no leverage to offer, her sentence would be carried out that much quicker. Better if she played coy until she regained the strength to escape._

_And speaking of regaining strength, she knew just how to end this discussion and get a nice meal in the process._

"_Well, there is one thing I can tell you. A secret I doubt any other pony knows."_

_Intrigued, Celestia took a step closer. "And what is that?"_

_Chrysalis turned her head to the side. "Well, you see…"_

'_Closer, closer, just a bit closer,' she thought to herself._

_Another step, then Celestia's next words changed into a muffled shriek as Chrysalis lunged forward and captured the alicorn's lips with her own._

_Her cries stifled, Celestia tried to pull back, but Chrysalis used the last of her magic to hold the struggling princess in place. Forcing open Celestia's mouth, her tongue darted inside. Deepening the kiss further, she began drawing every bit of life-force that she could._

_Sadly, the magical moment was ended when a golden-shoed hoof slammed into her cheek, breaking the kiss and snapping Chrysalis' head to the side. Black motes spun in her vision as her already painful headache intensified. Stunned by pain and drunk off the taste of Celestia's emotions, she hung from her chains and waited for her head to clear._

_Celestia wiped furiously at her lips, coughing in disgust. Eyes sparkling with fury, she glared at the changeling. Chrysalis returned the look with a lopsided grin._

"_Oh, right. That secret. Well, I don't know if anypony has told you this, but you are just DELICIOUS when you're angry."_

"_How, how dare you," Celestia sputtered angrily._

_Chrysalis only shrugged. "Well, I'd always heard that when you visit a foreign country, you're encouraged to sample the local delicacies. It seemed like good manners."_

_Ignoring Celestia's growing ire, she licked her lips and continued. "Besides, I was just giving you a glimpse of what things would be like had I emerged the victor. Just imagine it. It would be you in these chains, with me coming to drain you away bit by bit, while my changelings consumed every last pony in your kingdom."_

_Celestia struck her again, harder this time, and Chrysalis felt a large welt forming under her eye. Fighting to stay conscious, she dropped her lips into a pout._

"_So that's how you'll be dealing with me? Blows to the face? Why resort to such crude means? Instead of dirtying your hoof, why not use a whip instead? Then just change your target to my flanks, and our little interrogation can take a nice kinky turn."_

_For a moment it looked like a third hit was on its way, but instead Celestia breathed in and out slowly, trying to bring her anger under control._

"_I see what you're trying to do," she said at last. "Distracting me to avoid answering my questions? Well played, but I've seen through your ruse."_

_She shook her head and turned to the door. "However, I think we'll have to continue this discussion another time. If things continue on as they are, I may end up doing something I'll deeply regret."_

_Determined to have the last word, Chrysalis waited until the princess was halfway out the door. "Like what," she sneered. "Actually returning the kiss next time?"_

_Celestia froze; she could see her shoulders trembling. Refusing to answer, she slammed the cell door and stomped off down the hall._

* * *

_._

While Chrysalis spun her metaphorical web in the caverns below, night had finally arrived in Canterlot, where an exhausted baby dragon was being carefully tucked into bed. Sliding under the blankets beside him, Celestia pulled him close and nuzzled the top of his head.

"Did you and Twilight have a nice walk," she asked.

"Yea, it was really fun," he mumbled into her chest. "I got to see her parents, and Shining Armour, and she told me about all the neat stuff she learned."

He purposely left out the best part of their excursion. Retrieving the key had been the hardest part. He'd had been forced to stage a very convincing fall from the guard's head, landing beside a 'random' flowerpot and just happening to notice something shining behind it.

From there, everything had been smooth sailing. Twilight had been all too happy to demonstrate her newly learned ability, and with a quick flash of light, a second key had materialized in his palm.

Of course, that had lead to the next tricky part; returning the original to Cadence. He couldn't just give it back to her, as that might lead to some very unpleasant questions. He also didn't want to leave it where he found it, lest some other pony stumble across it. In the end, he had decided to sneak into Cadence's room and plant it in one of her saddlebags. With any luck, she wouldn't even notice it had gone missing. And if she had, maybe she'd just assume she hadn't searched well enough?

Of course, he wasn't going to tell his mother any of that.

"And how about the rest of your day," she said in concern. "With Twilight and myself preoccupied for so long, I hope you didn't get too lonely."

Spike gulped. Maybe he wasn't off the hook quite yet. He tried to keep his voice as nonchalant as possible.

"Oh, nothing much."

Ugh, what kind of stupid answer was that?

"Hmm, I think there's something you're not telling me." He could hear the smile in her voice and groaned inwardly. Of course she was onto him. He'd never been a very good liar to begin with, and he was completely hopeless when it came to her.

Still, he had to be careful. If he said too much, he'd be getting himself into very hot water.

"Well, actually, I made a new friend today," he admitted.

She pulled back enough to look down at him, an excited smile on her face. "Spike, that's wonderful! Oh, I can't wait to hear everything! What was their name?"

Spike opened his mouth to respond, but something suddenly occurred to him. He smiled sheepishly. "I forgot to ask."

"Well that wasn't very polite," she chided. "You should always ask for the other pony's name when making introductions. You DID remember to introduce yourself, I hope."

"Yes mama, I remembered," he said quickly. He did not want to be subjected to a lecture on manners right now.

"Good. Make sure you apologize and ask the very next time you see them. Understand?"

He nodded, and Celestia immediately reverted to her previously excited self. "Now then, what kind of pony is your friend? Or did you forget to look?"

"I know what kind of pony she is!" Oh great, what was he supposed to say now? He couldn't just say that the twisted pony was an alicorn!

Luckily, one word in his outburst completely grabbed Celestia's attention.

"She," the alicorn asked, mischief glinting in her eyes. "This new friend of yours is a filly?"

"Well, yeah. So? I can have fillyfriends if I want, right? I mean, I'm friends with Twilight!"

"That may be, but Twilight is my student, and a filly that I trust." Celestia lifted her chin disdainfully. "How do I know that this friend of yours even deserves your attention? What if she's just using you for her own gain? I don't want my son to be off gallivanting with just any girl, you know!"

Spike's spirits dropped. "Does that mean I can't be friends with her anymore?"

"I didn't say that. But I will have to meet her myself, and decide for myself if she's worthy of you."

"You… you want to meet her," Spike asked in horror. Oh no, this was terrible. She was going to find out where he'd gone! He'd be getting that spanking after all!

Celestia laughed. "I was only teasing, Spike. I would never judge your friends or forbid you from seeing them."

"Now then, I think we've both had enough excitement for one day. You can tell me more about this friend of yours in the morning."

She turned to blow out the candle, and Spike sighed in relief, only to freeze once again at her next words. "But I wasn't kidding about that last part. I do want to meet this girl sometime soon."

* * *

.

Chrysalis awoke with a start. The last vestiges of the dream still ran through her head. The exquisite taste of Celestia's emotions, the throbbing bruise on her cheek, those last taunting words she had thrown at the alicorn's back.

It had been many years since she last dreamed of her capture. And for good reason. If she had only known what consequences her actions would bring, she would have cooperated in a heartbeat.

But it was too late to change the past. Right now, she had only the future to think on. And if she was lucky, well, she and Celestia might be picking up where they left off those many years ago. Only this time, their roles as captor and captive would be switched.

And she was going to enjoy getting her revenge. The look on Celestia's face would be reward enough, but it would only be the appetizer… oh, yes. Normally, Chrysalis had no stomach for negative emotions, but this time, this time she would savor every bit of the alicorn's fear, helplessness and despair. In fact, she might even try to encourage them…

Once she regained her full power, she would wait until Celestia came down for her weekly visit to reinforce the barrier. Chrysalis would be waiting on the other side, all fake smiles and feigned politeness. Her demeanor would no doubt set the princess on edge, but it would still come as a massive shock when she broke the force-field down and leapt to attack.

But wait, how could she forget the most important part? What if she were to make idle conversation at first, perhaps complaining to Celestia about a pest problem in her cavern? Then she could claim that the most horrid little vermin had invaded, but thankfully she had disposed of it immediately.

Then, she could reveal Spike's lifeless body, toss it through the barrier to land at Celestia's hooves. She could easily imagine the look of horror and disbelief, the monarch frantically calling her son's name as she focused all her attention on the corpse. And then, the moment Celestia looked up she would smash through the barrier and overpower her.

Chrysalis chuckled to herself. The possibilities were endless. She could use Spike as bait for a trap, or even a hostage to force Celestia into submitting to her will. Her only regret was that she had to choose just one.

But she was getting ahead of herself. She rose from the cavern floor, her legs and back cracking and popping as she stretched. Her stomach rumbled, and she made herself comfortable while waiting for breakfast to arrive.

She waited.

And waited.

And just for the pure and simple hell of it, she waited some more.

Spike didn't come.

Chrysalis began to worry. He should have been here by now, shouldn't he? There was no way of telling time in this place. It could have been six hours; it could have been six days.

But the hunger pangs in her stomach were still weak. It couldn't have been more than a day. So where was he?

Time continued to drag on, and she paced around the rim of the circle, biting her lip anxiously. Something must have gone wrong. Had he forgotten about her? Or had Celestia discovered his intentions and stopped him?

What if… what if he had never intended to return? What if he had lied to her simply to escape from her clutches?

The growling in her stomach was becoming more insistent. After yesterday's meal, the thought of returning to near starvation was horrific. She needed to see Spike again. She needed to taste him again!

Chrysalis shrieked in frustration, cursing herself for being such a fool. How could she have let him go? What was she thinking?!

Her anger fizzled out when a familiar life-force caught her attention. It was young, vibrant, and overflowing with excitement. She recognized it at once.

"Twisted pony," Spike called from the tunnel. He was carrying a large bag that looked to be bulging at the seams, running as carefully as he could with his view obscured. He caught a glimpse of her, and he smiled all the wider.

"Hey, there you are! Sorry I'm late; I had to make sure I didn't forget-"

She wasn't listening. The second he had come into view, she had taken one step, then another, then broke into a run that would have bowled a full-grown manticore flat on its back.

Spike dropped the bag in surprise, and she vaulted over it and threw both forelegs around him in a tackle. She swept him off his feet as the two tumbled and rolled across the ground, squeezing him to her chest and drawing energy like he would vanish in an instant.

"Oof," Spike grunted from beneath her. "Glad to see you too… guess you missed me, huh?"

She pulled back enough to frown into his face. "You're damn right I did," she snarled. "What took you so long? I was worried something had happened to you, or you'd forgotten, or, or even abandoned me!"

He shook his head rapidly. "No way! I'd never do that." He gestured to the bag lying behind them. "But before I left, I decided to bring you a few things so you wouldn't get bored while I was gone. That's all, I promise!"

"Hmm," she said, casting a look back. "Well, alright I suppose. But you can't make me worry like that again, okay?"

"Okay, if you'll trust that I'll never forget about you."

"Deal."

He smiled up at her, only to grimace a moment later. "Umm, can you let me up now? You're kinda heavy, it's making my chest hurt."

She let out a horrified gasp. What on earth was she doing?! Immediately, she ended the transfer, thankful that Spike assumed the pain was due to her weight. She berated herself once again for being so careless. No matter what, he could never learn that she was feeding off of him. That knowledge, she knew, would immediately turn him against her.

"I'm sorry, Spike," she said. "I guess I was so happy to see you that I overreacted. Here, why don't you sit down and catch your breath?"

Helping him to his feet, she steered him over to the newly placed furniture and settled him down. Levitating the bag over, she placed it on the table before them.

"So why don't you show me what exactly you brought," she asked, sitting beside him and resting a foreleg over his shoulders. Carefully, she reopened the link, making sure that she was taking only the barest minimum of his energy.

Spike was about to reach into the bag when something crossed his mind. Something very important his mother had told him the night before.

"Well, before we do that. There's something I have to ask you. Something I should have asked when we first met."

"Oh, and what is that?" She was barely paying attention to his words. Rather, she was gradually taking more of his life-force. It was delicate work. She had to keep it just below the threshold of causing him pain. If she could just build up his tolerance…

"Well, I told you my name yesterday, but you never told me yours! I can't keep calling you twisted pony all the time, right?"

"Oh no," she agreed automatically. "That wouldn't do at all."

"So," he prodded. "What's your name?"

"My name is Chrys-" She stopped midsentence as his words finally registered. No bucking way was she telling him the truth. Oh no, if she gave her real name, it would certainly come back to bite her in the ass. She was already skeptical of Spike's ability to keep her a secret.

"Crystalia," she said at last, pointing to the walls around them. "Just like all the crystals in this cave."

"Crystalia," he repeated. "I like it! It's a pretty name for a pretty pony. But how come you stopped in the middle of saying it? It sounded like you were changing your mind about something."

"Well, it's just been so long since I've told anypony my name," she lied.

He wasn't buying it. "Crystalia's not your real name, is it?"

She smirked. "Nope."

"I knew it," he said smugly. "So what's your real name then?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"But, but why not," he asked.

She grinned at him like the cat that ate the canary. "Because you haven't earned it yet."

He crossed his arms and scowled, though a smile threatened to break through. "That's not fair! I told you my name, so you have to tell me yours!"

"And when did we agree to that," she asked innocently. "If you'd wanted, you could have told me a fake name as well."

He looked as though he wanted to protest further, but finally let out a resigned huff. "Fine, so what do I have to do to find out?"

"Hmm," she scrunched up her face like she was actually considering the question. "I haven't decided yet.

To her utmost confusion, she actually felt the barest twinge of pity at his downtrodden look and pulled him closer against her. "Don't worry," she said as she nuzzled his cheek. "I'll tell you eventually."

"You promise?"

"I promise," she said.

'In fact, it will be the last thing you ever hear,' she added silently.


End file.
